Easy Chicken Soup with Carrot and Potato

Happy Tuesday,beloved readers =D

Here's a picture that I personally find very interesting,the quotes really has a deep meaning.

preach it baybeh!

Now, lets get back to business. This recipe was one of the recipe that I personally felt proud of =3

 Not to boast,but I really am happy of this creation of mine. I first had this soup when we had a dinner in my aunt's house. She is a good cook, but she will always stick to the same recipe and not dare herself to try new things. So, there I am, thinking on how to enhance the taste of the soup and add in more ingredients.

Chicken Soup with Carrot and Potato

This is how it looks like,but too bad I forgot to take any picture while I make this.

• Half a chicken (cut into smaller pieces)
• 5 medium size potato (cut into cubes)
• 2 carrots (cut into cubes)
• 1 big onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• Black peppercorns (crushed roughly)
• 1 chicken cube
• 1.5 litre of water
• salt
• oil for sauteing

Steps :

1. First of all, saute the garlic,half of the crushed peppercorns and the onion till fragrant and golden brown in colour. Then,add in the chicken and cook until there is no more sign of rawness.
2. Add in the water and bring to boil.
3. Add in carrot first because it takes a while for the texture to get soft. Furthermore, carrot have the distinct taste and the sweetness that adds flavour into the soup, which leaves you crave for more.
4. Now, take one of the carrot cubes and try whether it is soft enough,but not too mushie. Then, add in the potato cubes and bring to boil again.
5. Try one of the potato cubes and make sure it is fully cooked. We don't want any hard residue in the potato while you bite into it. 
6. Take the chicken cube and crushed it into fine powdery texture and sprinkle it into the soup.
7. Add in the remaining of the crushed peppercorns and add in salt to taste. Readjust the seasoning because some brand, their chicken cubes already had salt in it. 
8. Serve while its hot with steam rice. Usually, I will pour it over cold rice and let it sink in the hot and tasty yet savoury dish. 

I like soupy rice and let my rice flooded with tasty liquid. So, I hope you enjoy this recipe and don't forget to share around and you will thank me later,hihihihi.. =)

Happy Cooking and Good Luck =)

Cheers,

C.S.J =.)

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Individual Chicken Pies

'Monday Blues =/

Monday had never been my favourite day of the week. Perhaps,I think I'm not the only one whom dislikes Monday. Urgh. But...... Another day, another new recipe ;) The first time I had my home-baked chicken pies was made by my sister which was really good! Unfortunately, the crust doesn't turns out how it suppose to be. So here is the so-called my 'modified' recipe for the chicken pies. Enjoy!

Individual Chicken Pies

(makes 6)

Ingredients :

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 225 gm button mushroom (sliced)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 350 gm carrots (sliced)
• 2 celery sticks (sliced)
• 1 litre cold chicken stocks
• 85 gm butter
• 55 gm plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 900 gm skinless,boneless chicken breasts (cut cubes)
• 115 gm frozen peas
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (dried would do too)
• 675 gm ready made shortcrust pastry*
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)    
• salt and pepper

* You can find this ready made shortcrust pastry at any supermarket that sells imported goods.

If you choose to make it from scratch,here is a link for you to get the recipe : How to make shortcrust pastry

Steps :

1. First of all,preheat the oven to 200 celsius and heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook over a medium heat,stirring frequently for 8 minutes until golden brown.
2. Add the carrots,celery and half stock and bring to boil . Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender but not overcook.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes. This step is showing you how to make roux. It is a thickening agent which consists of flour and butter only.
4. Gradually whisk in the remaining stock, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring until thick. Stir in the vegetables mixture and add the chicken, peas and thyme.
5. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. Divide the mixture between six large ramekins.
6. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and cut out six rounds, each 25cm / 1 inch larger than the diameter of the ramekins.
7. Place the pastry rounds on top of the filling, then crimp the edges. Cut a small cross in the centre of each round.
8. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and brush the tops with beaten egg to give the pies that shiny surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden  brown and bubbling.
9. Leave to stand for 15 minutes to let it rest first before serving.

This chicken pies makes a good afternoon tea's companion to give you that not too-much yet not too-little something too munch on instead of the good ol' boring cream crackers or cookies.

So, Happy Cooking and Good luck!

*photo is courtesy to Google. Thanks Google!

Cheers,

C.S.J =)

Buttery Mashed Potato and Gravy

Happy Tuesday!

 My last day of holiday before lecture starts =/ Still not getting enough of holiday thou..

Well,whatever it is life has to move on .

The next recipe may sound easy but it actually is VERY easy. Mashed potato with gravy is the food to my soul. Oh the creaminess of the texture and how savoury the gravy is. My all time favourite mashed potatoes would be KFC's. I just can't still figure out the recipe for the gravy thou,but this is the closest I can get.

Buttery Mashed Potato and Gravy

Ingredients :

•  1/2 kg yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tbsp heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp milk
• Salt and Pepper
• potato masher

Steps :

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain.
2. In a small saucepan heat butter and milk over low heat until butter is melted. Using a potato masher or electric beater, slowly blend milk mixture into potatoes until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Now for the gravy,

Ingredients :

• 3 tablespoons butter or vegetable shortening
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 piece chicken cube or 2 teaspoons chicken powder
• 1 piece beef cube or 2 teaspoons beef powder
• 2 1/4 cups water

Steps :

1. Dilute the beef and chicken cubes in water.
2. Heat a saucepan and put-in the butter. Let the butter melt under low heat.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook in low heat while continuously stirring for 7 to 8 minutes or until the color turns medium brown. There is a tendency that the flour might burn when overcooked or if high heat is applied. Be extra cautious.
4. Add the remaining flour and continue stirring.
5. Gradually add the chicken and beef broth (the result of procedure 1) while stirring. Continuous stirring is needed to prevent lumps from forming.
6. Put the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes more while stirring once in a while until the texture thickens.
7. Serve hot with the mashed potato.
8. Share and enjoy!

What a bliss ! =D

Happy Cooking and Good Luck! 

*Photo is courtesy to Google. Thanks Google!

Cheers,

C.S.J =)

Easy Red Velvet Cupcakes

 Sunny sunny day!

After every dinner or any meal,one does not leave until you had your dessert. Usually dessert is eaten to balance the taste bud after all the savoury dish we had just eaten. It is also to "close" the meal,in my opinion.

So here is a easy red velvet cupcakes just nice for a simple dessert =)

Easy Red Velvet Cupcake

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups cake flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups oil
• 1 ½ cups castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon red gel food colouring (or 4 tablespoons liquid food colouring)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Steps :

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease cupcake pans with butter or Spray & Cook.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and eggs until well blended.
3. Now add the flour and buttermilk alternately and mix well.
4. Add the baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt and mix until well combined.
5. Add the vanilla essence and colouring and mix well.
6. Fill the cupcake tins or liners 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool for 25-30 minutes before icing up the cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:


1 tub cream cheese (230g)
2 tablespoons warm water
4 cups icing sugar



Steps :

1. Beat the cream cheese (use blender to minimise labour work) until smooth and then add the icing sugar cup by cup and mix well after each addition.
2. Add the water and mix well.

Although I'm not much of a dessert person,this is seriously delicious ! It is never a regret for me to try this recipe.

Happy Cooking and Good Luck! 

*Photo is courtesy to Google. Thanks Google!

Cheers,

C.S.J

Lemony Chicken Fillet

Happy Monday viewers! 

Wow what a fulfilling lunch I just had. So,have you eaten your lunch yet?

Another day,another new recipes! I used to tell myself in order to master a lot of dish,if possible,I should learn a new and different recipes and dish every single day but of course,there comes the time when you are so tired and lazy to even get up from your bed or even took a shower the whole day 

(only when I'm staying at home the whole day). =D

So,the recipe for today is Lemony Chicken Fillet. Every time if there is a family dinner,this dish would be the essential ones to every bowl of rice. I would usually mix the gravy with my rice and devour and I will be in my own paradise for a while. Oh how tasty it is.

This recipe would serves 3-4 person.

Lemony Chicken Fillet

Ingredients :

•  2 large chicken breasts
•  1 egg
•  2 tbsp Soy Sauce
•  2 tbsp Sherry (or Shaoxing Wine)
•  1 tsp sesame oil
•  2 lemons (zest + Juice)
•  3/4 cup corn starch + 1/2 tbsp dissolved in a little water
•  1/2 cup chicken stock
•  1/3 cup sugar
•  Salt as per taste
•  oil for frying

Steps :

1.  Crack one egg into a medium mixing bowl and add the soy sauce, sherry/shaoxing wine, sesame oil and the zest of one lemon to it. Mix it all well together. This is the marinade for the chicken.
2.  Slice the chicken breast into strips and add it to the marinade and let it sit covered in the fridge for 20-30 minutes at least or a couple hours.
3.  Then, in a shallow bowl add the corn starch and season it generously with salt.
4. Dip each strip of the marinated chicken in the corn starch to coat it on all sides and lay them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, ready to fry.
5.  While coating the chicken, get a pan on stove and heat up the oil on medium-high.
6.  When the oil is hot enough, fry the coated chicken strips in small batches for about 4-6 minutes, until it turns a light golden and the chicken is cooked through inside.
7.  Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels. Break a big piece to check if the inside is cooked.Go ahead, give it a taste. I bet you are tempted to try it =)
8.  For the sauce, zest the other lemon into a sauce pan. Add to it, half a cup of lemon juice (roughly the juice of 2 lemons), 1/2 a cup of chicken stock and a 1/3 of a cup of sugar.
9.  Put the pan on medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
10. When the sauce starts bubbling, add the corn starch slurry (1/2 tbsp corn starch + 1 tbsp water) while stirring continuously.
11. The sauce will thicken fast and turn glossy. Turn off the heat and season it with salt.
12.  Give it a taste-test by dipping a piece of the fried chicken in it. 
13.  When you’re ready to eat simply add the chicken to a frying pan and slowly spoon in some of the sauce. Toss the chicken to coat it in the sauce. Add as much sauce or all of it if you like.
14.  Garnish the Lemon chicken with toasted sesame seeds and some sliced green onion. You can serve this dish up as an appetizer and keep it dry or sauce it up and serve over plain steamed rice.

Happy Cooking and Good Luck !

Feeling all lemon' up!

*Photo is courtesy to Google. Thanks Google!

Cheers,

C.S.J =)

Thailand Pineapple Fried Rice

Good evening dear viewers! 

Back for the day for another exciting recipe that personally had leave a memory in me. I still remember the first time I ate this Thailand Pineapple Rice. I was being so excited of how wonderful it taste and how all the elements are so balance. I was five back then by the way =). I would always pick all the pineapple bits from other's plate of fried rice because I love pineapples! The tangyness set my taste buds tingling all the way.

So here goes the recipe. This recipe I'm about to share can serves 4-5 person.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients :

• 1 fresh pineapple*
• 3 cups Steamed Rice
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 2 tbsp raisins 
• 2 tbsp toasted cashewnuts 
• 50 gm of chicken breast meat
• 50 gm of fresh prawn (de-shell and de-vein)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp of curry powder paste
• pinch of turmeric powder (for the colour)
• sesame seeds

*make sure the pineapple is half ripe

Steps :

1. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise, keeping the leaves on. Scoop out the flesh with a sharp knife to leave 2 shells with a thin border of flesh attached.
2. Chop half the pineapple flesh to use in the dish. The remaining half of the flesh is not needed for this recipe.(I would usually snacks on the remaining flesh of the pineapple)
3. Heat the butter in a wok, add the onions and green chilli and fry till soft and frangrant. Add the curry paste and fry for 1 more minute.
4. Add the chopped pineapple,chicken and the prawn. Cooked until the chicken meat is no longer raw.
5. Add the cooked rice, coconut cream, raisins and cashew nuts and stir till all the coconut cream has been absorbed.
6. Add the sugar and salt.If desire,add more turmeric powder to give that yellowish colour onto the rice.
7. Spoon the rice mixture into the empty pineapple shells.
8. Serve hot and garnished with roasted sesame seeds.

Believe me,you will be wanting for more of it once you have tasted it.

This would be my facial expression everytime I;m having this dish.

Happy Cooking and Good Luck!

*Photo is courtesy to Google. Thanks Google!

Cheers,

C.S.J =)

Pai Tee

HELLO! 

Yay ! Got your attention now. 

Today I will be sharing one of my personal favourite dish. It is basically similar to spring roll but in a basket shape. It is called Pai Tee. It is a delightful appetizer from the Nyonya or Peranakan community in Melaka. Pai Tee is also known as "Top Hats" that refers to the traditional top hats filled with shredded turnips and eggs garnished with coriander leaves in deep fried shell.  So, here is the recipes. Enjoy!

The deliriously tasty Pai Tee !

Pai Tee 

       Skin :

•  7 tbsp rice flour
•  7 tbsp tapioca flour
• 1 tbsp wheat flour
• 1 medium size egg
• 200 ml of water
• pinch of salt
• oil for fying

       Filling :

• 30 gm of dried shrimps
• 1 turnip *
• 1 carrot *
• 1 onion *
• 3 cloves of garlic and chopped onion
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• Oyster sauce

        * shred.

       Garnishing :

• 65 gm of peanuts (baked and crushed)

Steps :

1. First of all, mix all the ingredients to make the skin together (except for the oil). Mix it well and make sure the consistency is either not too thick or too diluted in order to achieve the perfect thickness of the 'cup'. Set the batter aside.
2. Then, heat up your Pai Tee mold in a pot of oil. Make sure the oil covers the top of the mold. The Pie Tee mold should be just hot enough.
3. Dipping the hot Pie Tee mold into the batter, up to 90 - 95% of the mold. Coat it 1 time, or 2, 3 times if you want thicker cases depends on your suitability. Make sure you check the bottom so it's well coated. As your batter level decreases, transfer it to a smaller bowl to get up to that 90-95% level.
4. Shake the extra batter off the mold and transfer it to the oil for deep-frying. Make sure the oil is hot enough for frying. Use a pair of chopsticks to help fry the Pai Tee cases. If the case doesn't come off the mold, use a chopsticks to loosen the top edges so the case comes off easily in the oil.
5. Once the case turns light brown, remove it from the wok and set aside.
6. Now for the filling, add some oil into a wok. Stir fry the chopped garlic and shallots until light brown. Add in  and carrot and season with salt, pepper, oyster sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. And, finally, carefully fill the case with the filling and garnish it with the crushed peanut and served.

and oh! By the way, here is a link to a video on how to make the Pai Tee in order easier for you to get the idea of how to make it,enjoy!

How To Make Pai Tee

Happy cooking and Good Luck!

*Photo is courtesy to Google. Thanks Google!

Cheers,

C.S.J =)